Bone loss is a phenomenon that may occur for any number of reasons during one's life (whether human, mammal, or any other vertebrate). Dental implants are fixtures of metal, typically titanium alloy, which are surgically screwed into the jawbone, often for replacing missing teeth. In the case of a dental implant, the implant is an anchor for a naturally-appearing false tooth or a set of false teeth. The success rate of dental implants depends on where and how the implants are placed and their purpose. It is important that the subject has enough bone in the area of the missing tooth/teeth for the implants to be attached to. Implants are used to replace single, multiple or all teeth. Implants are increasingly being used to replace fixed bridges and removable partial or full dentures.
For a patient who is missing one or more of his/her teeth, implants may well be an option for candidate as long as the patient has enough bone in the area of the missing tooth/teeth to facilitate the anchorage of the implants. If the patient does not have enough bone for this purpose, a bone graft may be necessary. Dental implants are alternatives to fixed bridge, a removable partial dentures or removable full dentures.
The typical implant procedure is a surgical placement of the implant or implants in the patient's jawbone which requires a three to six months healing period before the implant restoration (crown) can be placed. During this healing time, the bone grows in and around the titanium implant creating a very strong support. Although the rejection or failure rate of dental implants is low, in the event such rejection happens, the implant is replaced with another implant of a slightly larger size or do bone graft and place another implant
When missing one tooth, the cosmetic dentist may use a flipper to fill the space. A flipper is a false tooth to temporarily take the place of a missing tooth before the permanent crown is placed on the implant. A flipper can be attached via a wire or an acrylic base that fits on the roof of the mouth. Flippers are meant to be a temporary solution while awaiting the permanent crown to be placed on the implant(s).
There are many implants available, each designed for a specific function. Most are made of titanium alloy, an inert metal which has been proven to be effective at fusing with living bone, a process known as osseointegration.
Sometimes, when resorption has excessively reduced the jawbone, it can be rebuilt through modern bone grafting techniques. Bone grafts can build up or fill in jawbone defects allowing the placement of dental implants.
In the single surgery method the dentist will order a special CAT scan of the patient's jawbone. Using the CAT scan data and advanced computer modeling techniques, a model of the jawbone is constructed. This model is used by a dental laboratory to fabricate the custom subperiosteal implant to fit the subject's jaw. A surgical procedure is then carried out where the jawbone is exposed and the implant placed. The gums are closed with several stitches and the replacement teeth are placed on the abutments of the subperiosteal implant.
Despite the advances in dentistry and implant procedures, there is room for further improvement in providing enhanced devices and methods for more timely placement of implants, in particular dental implants.